Finland is offering free cycling lessons to immigrants to better integrate them into life in the bike-loving nation. 

"Many people who come to Finland, mostly women, they don't have this bicycle skill and it's a very important part of Finnish society," said Federico Ferrara of the Finnish Cyclists' Federation, which runs the project.

The scheme hopes to empower the country's new arrivals, in particular women. Many of the Finland's immigrants come from North Africa and the Middle East. Ferrara also said riding a bicycle is a crucial skill for those living in rural locations. 

"It's also very important for them, because when you first come, if you are in a refugee center, many times they are in the middle of nowhere and the bike can be the only way of commuting this gap," Ferrara said

"Many of our clients have some kind of taboo with these biking skills, maybe they've fallen down when they were kids and they have this trauma in their head for 20 years, or maybe it's not socially or culturally accepted for them to bike." 

Biking is popular in the Nordic nation, where just over half of people in Helsinki – the country's capital – travel by bike at least once a week, according to authorities. A further 10 percent cycle all year round. 

In a typical session, students are taught the basics in a quiet place, for example a car park. Teachers will then take the students on the road once they have mastered the basics. The Finnish Cyclists' Federation said that after a three-hour session, 90 percent of students are able to cycle. 

In the past 18 months, the project has taught 320 beginners to ride. It is part-funded by Finland's state lottery.